Father of woman alleging rape by BJP MLA dies in police custody

The father of a woman, who had alleged that she was raped by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and his accomplices, died in police custody, on Monday.

The woman's father was arrested on Sunday after the family attempted suicide outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Lucknow residence.

"The man was admitted to the hospital last night after he complained of abdominal pain and vomiting. He passed away in the early morning hours. He was admitted to the hospital by the police," Dr Atul, District hospital, Unnao told ANI.

However, the relatives alleged that he was murdered in the jail by Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the BJP MLA from Unnao named as accused by the rape victim.

The woman and her family alleged that she was raped by the BJP MLA and his fellow accomplices, but no action was taken.

The victim also said that she and her family were threatened after they had filed an FIR, which the Police had registered after stalling it for a year.

The family further alleged that the MLA's brother had thrashed the woman's father on April 3 for refusing to cancel the FIR, but the Police booked the father instead, and locked him up for a period of one year.

A probe into the rape case is underway and has been transferred to Lucknow.